Ancient city of Tenea uncovered in Greece

15:38 • 15.11.18

A team of Greek archaeologists has just uncovered the first remnants of a once lost city believed to have been founded by former Trojan prisoners of war in the 12th or 13th century BC.

Excavations close to the village of Chiliomodi, in the southern peninsula region of the Peloponnese, unearthed a wide variety of artifacts which indicate the presence of the wealthy ancient city of Tenea.

The precise location of the city was previously only documented in historical sources and testimonies, but archaeologists were able to pinpoint the settlement's location following the discovery of jewelry, coins and the remnants of housing, the CNN reports, citing the Greek Culture Ministry.

"It is significant that the remnants of the city, the paved roads, the architectural structure, came to light," lead archaeologist Elena Korka told CNN. "We've found evidence of life and death... and all this is just a small part of the history of the place. The coming years will allow us to evaluate where we stand."

The excavations started in the area in 2013 and were centered on the rich Hellenistic and Roman burial sites surrounding the city, where archaeologists discovered nine new tombs this year.

The team, however, also excavated extensive building facilities in a 672-meter square area for the first time this year, which are believed to be remnants of the ancient city itself.

Korka said that her team found key clues of the city's presence, including children buried in the foundations of walls. "We found child burials; during the Roman times it was very strict where you bury the dead, and only babies were allowed to be kept inside buildings in the city -- all the rest had to be buried outside," she said.

The team also excavated a series of buildings, where they found organized rooms with housing facilities and door openings.